Benefits - Discretionary housing payment

We have a cash limited fund to help meet some housing costs. The Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) scheme allows councils the discretion to help people on a low income with their housing costs where Housing Benefit (HB) or Universal Credit (UC) housing element alone does not meet all of their needs.

Housing costs may include:

• Rental liability
• Rent in advance
• Deposits
• Other lump sum costs associated with a housing need such as removal costs

Following the abolition of Council Tax benefit from April 2013, DHPs can no longer be used to assist with Council Tax liability.

A Discretionary Housing Payment is not a payment of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. A Discretionary Housing Payment can only be awarded where a person is in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element in the same week that a Discretionary Housing Payment is awarded for.

The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme is discretionary and a customer does not have a statutory right to receive an award.

In addition the amount that can be paid out by a council in any financial year is restricted by the Government.

Quick guide to discretionary housing payment